Hyperdexterous surgical system

1. A surgical system, comprising: at least one electromechanical arm coupleable to a fixture; at least one electromechanical tool supported by the at least one electromechanical arm to define an electromechanical arm and tool assembly; a control system configured to communicate electronically with and control the operation of the electromechanical arm and tool assembly; at least one portable handheld controller actuatable to communicate a control signal to the electromechanical arm and tool assembly via the control system to operate the electromechanical arm and tool assembly, wherein movements of the at least one portable handheld controller control movements of the electromechanical arm and tool assembly; and a tracking system operable to track a position of the at least one portable handheld controller, wherein the tracking system comprises at least one position sensor integrated into the portable handheld controller, wherein the at least one portable handheld controller is configured to be carried by a surgeon during a surgical procedure to a plurality of surgeon locations of an operating arena that are between an operating table and a remote control stand, thereby allowing the surgeon to be mobile between the plurality of surgeon locations during the surgical procedure and to operate the electromechanical arm and tool assembly using the at least one portable handheld controller from the plurality of surgeon locations of the operating arena, and wherein the position sensor is operable to track the position of the at least one portable handheld controller at any of the plurality of surgeon locations independent of the remote control stand.

2. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of surgeon locations comprises beside the operating table of a patient.

3. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of surgeon locations comprises the remote control stand.

4. The surgical system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one portable handheld controller is operable from beside the operating table to thereby allow the surgeon to simultaneously operate a manual tool with one hand and the electromechanical arm and tool assembly with another hand via the at least one portable handheld controller.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the electromechanical arm and tool assembly and the manual tool are operated independently of each other.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the electromechanical arm and tool assembly and the manual tool are operated in frames of reference that are aligned or partially aligned.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the electromechanical arm and tool assembly and the manual tool are operated in synchrony with each other.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the electromechanical arm and tool assembly and the manual tool are operated in frames of reference that are independent of each other.

9. The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a second electromechanical arm and tool assembly, wherein the electromechanical arm and tool assemblies are operable concurrently in the same surgical workspace.

10. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one portable handheld controller is wireless and communicates the control signal wirelessly.

11. The surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture is coupled to an operating table.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical arm comprises three degrees of freedom.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor comprises an absolute encoder mounted to the portable handheld controller, and the absolute encoder is operable to track the position of the portable handheld controller relative to ground.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein tracking system further comprises a position sensor coupled to the surgeon, and the position sensor coupled to the surgeon is operable to track the position of the portable handheld controller relative to a ground reference point.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the position sensor comprises an optical tracker mounted to the portable handheld controller, and the optical tracker is operable to track the position of the portable handheld controller relative to a ground reference point.

16. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a visualization system configured to receive input signals from at least one source comprising a camera, the visualization system configured to display an image of a surgical workspace on at least one monitor within a line of sight of the surgeon.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one portable handheld controller is configured to selectively operate the electromechanical arm and tool assembly.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a clutch actuatable to selectively engage and disengage the at least one portable handheld controller with the electromechanical arm and tool assembly to thereby selectively operate the electromechanical arm and tool assembly.

19. The surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface operable to selectively switch the portable handheld controller between operating different electromechanical arm and tool assemblies.

20. The surgical system of claim 19 , wherein the user interface is a display.